Wire rope question
 

I made up a wire rope cable to put across a driveway. One end was already
looped with a thimble and ferrule.

On the other end, I was trying to cut the cable with some good bolt cutters,
but couldn't get it good enough to fit through the tight ferrule.

Am I missing something?

Do I need to put solder on the wire rope, then cut it with a grinding wheel
to get a nice enough end to put through the ferrule? I am using the ferrule
that has room for two cables in it, and they fit tight. If there is ANY
frayed wires, it won't go through.

Do I need a better pair of bolt cutters? Mine is American and good, but it
just smashes them down. This is pretty tough cable, and has several strands
around an inner spiraled core strand. It is 1/4".

Suggestions?

Steve

"SteveB" wrote in message
news:_U0_e.81965$DW1.75496@fed1read06...
I made up a wire rope cable to put across a driveway. One end was already
looped with a thimble and ferrule.

On the other end, I was trying to cut the cable with some good bolt
cutters, but couldn't get it good enough to fit through the tight ferrule.

Am I missing something?

Do I need to put solder on the wire rope, then cut it with a grinding
wheel to get a nice enough end to put through the ferrule? I am using the
ferrule that has room for two cables in it, and they fit tight. If there
is ANY frayed wires, it won't go through.

Do I need a better pair of bolt cutters? Mine is American and good, but
it just smashes them down. This is pretty tough cable, and has several
strands around an inner spiraled core strand. It is 1/4".

Suggestions?

Steve


You need cable cutters:
http://www.garagedoorsupply.com/garage-door-cable.html

Cable cutters won't crush the cable.

Rich

SteveB wrote:
I made up a wire rope cable to put across a driveway. One end was already
looped with a thimble and ferrule.

On the other end, I was trying to cut the cable with some good bolt cutters,
but couldn't get it good enough to fit through the tight ferrule.

Am I missing something?

Do I need to put solder on the wire rope, then cut it with a grinding wheel
to get a nice enough end to put through the ferrule? I am using the ferrule
that has room for two cables in it, and they fit tight. If there is ANY
frayed wires, it won't go through.

Do I need a better pair of bolt cutters? Mine is American and good, but it
just smashes them down. This is pretty tough cable, and has several strands
around an inner spiraled core strand. It is 1/4".

Suggestions?

Steve




You *might* be able to cut it with a very fine toothed hacksaw, or you
can cut it with a dremel tool or die grinder with a cutoff wheel.

Any of these will be a cheaper than a proper cable cutter.

Best regards,
Bob

buggers to cut... I
If you have a friendly hardware store you could carry cable in and they
have a cable cutter, usually tied down near thier cable selling area.
Any HW store that is worth their salt will do it for free... especially
if they know your face.. (or slip it into Home Depot and use theirs...
there is never anyone out on the floor there anyway so who would be
there to object.)

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 18:05:02 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:

I made up a wire rope cable to put across a driveway. One end was already
looped with a thimble and ferrule.

On the other end, I was trying to cut the cable with some good bolt cutters,
but couldn't get it good enough to fit through the tight ferrule.

Am I missing something?

Do I need to put solder on the wire rope, then cut it with a grinding wheel
to get a nice enough end to put through the ferrule? I am using the ferrule
that has room for two cables in it, and they fit tight. If there is ANY
frayed wires, it won't go through.

Do I need a better pair of bolt cutters? Mine is American and good, but it
just smashes them down. This is pretty tough cable, and has several strands
around an inner spiraled core strand. It is 1/4".

Suggestions?

Steve


Or use a crosby clip instead of a ferrule.

SteveB wrote:

I made up a wire rope cable to put across a driveway. One end was already
looped with a thimble and ferrule.

On the other end, I was trying to cut the cable with some good bolt cutters,
but couldn't get it good enough to fit through the tight ferrule.

Am I missing something?

Do I need to put solder on the wire rope, then cut it with a grinding wheel
to get a nice enough end to put through the ferrule? I am using the ferrule
that has room for two cables in it, and they fit tight. If there is ANY
frayed wires, it won't go through.

Do I need a better pair of bolt cutters? Mine is American and good, but it
just smashes them down. This is pretty tough cable, and has several strands
around an inner spiraled core strand. It is 1/4".

Suggestions?

Steve




I'd wrap it with electrical tape, cut it with a hack saw or with a cut
off wheel on a die grinder. Then I'd use a Crosby to secure it.